


Unexpected Circumstances

by greekowl87



Category: The X-Files
Genre: AU, F/M, Happy Ending, S9, ep william
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-01 03:46:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13989807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greekowl87/pseuds/greekowl87
Summary: A slight reimagining of the end of the episode 'William' where Scully gives up William. Spoiler alert: it doesn't happen. Fluff. And then some more fluff.





	Unexpected Circumstances

**Author's Note:**

> I still haven’t watched the last episode but I’ve been watching what’s been going on the Tumblr so I’m aware of the ‘Is Scully pregnant again???’ drama. But I needed to write this and get this idea out of my head before anything else. Sorry for the typos. No beta.

Scully felt her gut churning like an unrelentless sea caught in a hurricane summoned by some ungodly force. She was at wit's end. Her mind was racing trying to compare this motherly devotion to protect her son to something while simultaneously wishing Mulder was here to help guide her or just...just hold so she could let go and feel vulnerable while he held her up. The decision for him to leave was their decision, they made it together. 

They did everything together.

Scully sat in the darkness of her living room, only the dim glow of her TV play 'MAD TV' in the late night providing the only illumination and mocking her. She gazed towards her son's room. The slightly ajar door standing silently not moving by some unknown force. Nothing was moving without some unknown force. She moved to clutch a throw pillow to her chest, a poor excuse for human contact, as she shut her eyes tightly and took a slow breath, trying to steady her racing nerves. 

I can't keep him safe. Why did I let Mulder leave? I can't keep him safe. I've failed. I've failed both of them.

She cast the throw pillow aside angrily and buried her face in her hands, her tears singeing her skin. She had nothing else left. She was backed into the corner with nothing. Normally, Scully would build her walls and carry on but there was William. Her...their miracle. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. But there was suddenly a weak rasp as knuckles dragged across the wooden door.

Her own drowning emotions forgotten, Scully reached behind her and pulled out her Sig Sauer P-228. With a slight flick of her finger, the safety was off, and her weapon hung loosely at her side. She had witnessed a man try to smother her son that she killed. A scarred and bedraggled Jeffery Spender inject her son with something. She had failed then but like hell, she was going to fail now. She leaned against the frame as she heard fingers claw at the door. Her finger was on the trigger, ready to wrench open the door and shoot the intruder until she heard something that made her heart stop.

"Scully. It's me. Scully?"

A voice rung out like a beam of light in the storm. As she set the weapon aside next to her potted plant, she kicked open the door silently cursing as her fingers stumbled on the chain lock. As she pulled back the door, she saw him, haggardly leaning against the door frame. His face was slightly gaunt with bags under his eyes. There was a faded bruise on his left temple. His face unshaven and was already sporting the beginnings of a wild beard. 

"Mulder?"

"Sorry I gave no noticed," he joked lamely.

She rushed forward, taking him into her arms. He hissed slightly in response as he readjusted himself in her embrace before hugging her in return. Tears streamed down her eyes kissed his neck hungrily and pulled back. Scully framed his face in her hands. "I don't care." She kissed him again. And again as if her next breath depended on him. "You're here." He nodded weakly and almost lost his balance, leaning heavily on her. "You're hurt."

"Just some broken ribs from a week ago."

She raked her fingers through his hair possessively before pulling him into her apartment and locking the door behind them.

. . . . 

Mulder thought he was dreaming when he woke up. He found himself in a comfortable in a bed, one that he thought he had forgotten. He kept his eyes closed taking in the moment: the softness of the bed, the lightness of the Egyptian cotton sheets, the scent...Scully's scent. This must be a dream. This had to be a dream. Then he heard a baby cry fussily somewhere off in the distance and a woman hush it soothingly. 

"Ssshhh, William, daddy needs to sleep."

Scully. Scully's voice. Now he knew for certain this had to be a dream. Mulder had dreamed about this a lot since he had gone on the run to keep his new baby son and Scully safe. He dreamed of still being home in Scully's apartment, cooking her breakfast in bed with his son watched him play the air guitar to 'Sweet Home Alabama.' But it was just that; a dream. He heard the baby make another noise again, perhaps denoting sleepiness. He tried to listen to this wonderful dream and pretend it was his son and Scully. Light footsteps. A door opening and closing. The footsteps came towards him, a door opening and closing behind him. He slowed his breathing, trying to prolong this dream. Someone was sitting next to him, soft fingertips raking through his hair, and this dream smelled like Scully, and felt like her too.

"Mulder, I know you're awake."

"This is a dream."

"Mulder," she chuckled softly. "Open your eyes."

Knowing that when he woke up and find himself in some seedy hotel in Utah, he decided it was time to get back to reality. Upon opening his eyes, Mulder saw Scully leaning over him with a sad smile, her crystal blue eyes shining with unshed tears. "This is a dream," he murmured again.

She leaned over him, her hand gently cupping his cheek. "A very realistic dream, wouldn't you say? Do you remember coming here? Knocking on my door?"

He closed his eyes for a moment and nodded slightly. "It doesn't seem real."

"It is. It was." She peeled back the blankets and her healing hands traced his bruised chest and broken ribs. "How are you feeling? Do you want some aspirin?"

He shook his head and pushed himself up in bed with her help. Mulder grimaced and took a look around the room, Scully's bedroom. The late afternoon light danced through the windows and he took a moment to fully take her in. Her hair was longer and a deeper shade of red, her face seemed softer somehow but he still saw the love she had for him. Finally, he let himself believe. "No. I just..." He reached out, touching her cross hesitantly but desperation made him pull her to him into an earth-shattering kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, deepening the kiss. "I've missed you, Scully. I've missed you."

"I know, Mulder," she whispered, holding him tightly. "I know. I've missed you too, more than you can ever know."

A screaming baby's wail caused Scully to break away and smile as tears strolled down her cheeks. "I uh, give me a second, Mulder. He's been fussy lately." She got up reluctantly and paused at the door. "He's just like you in the remark. Incredibly clingy and doesn't like to be left alone. I'll be right back."

With that, she disappeared back out into the apartment and he arched an eyebrow curiously. Weakly, he got out of bed, noting the yellow pajama pants he was wearing. He looked around her room and saw one of his old Knick's shirts on her chair. He picked it up and brought it to his nose, inhaling Scully's scent, which brought a smile to his face. He slipped the shirt on and padded out to the sound of the baby.

The guest room was a beautiful nursery with a cartoon UFO painted on the wall but other than that, he noticed the lack of decorations, stuffed animals, or anything personal. But his heart stopped seeing Scully bounce a baby with his brown hair and her eyes. "Is that?" he managed.

Scully spun in surprise. "I didn't...um, yes." She swallowed as William quieted instantly, watching Mulder stand in the doorway as if unsure what to do. She glanced at their son and back to Mulder. "Do you want to hold your son, Mulder? Maybe we can forgo the nap today for him."

He nodded weakly and Scully gave a weak smile and gingerly placed William in his arms. The last time Mulder had held his son was when William was less than two days old but now, here he was, almost a full year. "He's uh, gotten big," Mulder said, unsure of how to hold William.

Scully smiled sadly. "I know. Just support his head. See if you can get him back to sleep." She pointed to the rocker in the corner. "I'll make you something to eat." She pressed a kiss to his cheek and quietly left Mulder standing with a baby in his arm.

His son shoved a fist into his mouth and smiled at Mulder. As if already knowing who he was, William rested his head against Mulder's shoulder, staring expectantly at him. "I guess I should tell you where I've been, huh, bud?" Mulder whispered, kissing the downy hair of his son.

. . . . 

Scully stood over her counter with a grilled cheese and some chicken noodle soup, trying to choke back her tears. She needed to tell Mulder the truth, that she couldn't keep William safe and that the only choice was to give him a life she couldn't, a life of safety and happiness. She needed to do so much...reconnect to Mulder, tell him the truth about William's uniqueness, her hopelessness, everything. She needed to make him understand that giving William up was the best thing, for all of them.

She wiped away the tears and forced a smile as Mulder reentered the rest of the apartment and walked slowly towards the kitchen. "Little man is out, I think," Mulder said. "He's grown so much, Scully."

She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "He has. Have a seat. I made you something easy."

She heard the scratching of the chair being pulled out from the kitchen table and his grunting as he sat gingerly down. She turned around and carried the soup and grilled cheese to him. "Do you want something to drink too, Mulder?"

"Water's fine, Scully. Thank you." He smiled appreciatively. "This looks better than Campbell's."

"I've been trying to cook more. I, uh, made it. Mom's recipe though."

"It smells delicious."

"Thank you."

Scully robotically filled a glass of tap water and set it in front of him before sitting next to him. An uneasy silence filled in between them. "So," Scully sighed, tenting her fingers in front of her, "are you going to tell me what happened? You haven't emailed me for a month."

"I tried," Mulder sighed, pausing as he sipped the soup. "The email server the Gunmen set up was down. Speaking of which..."

He doesn't know, Scully thought sadly. She closed her eyes. He had been surprised when he came back to the dead, barely having time to adjust to the idea of being a father before he had to go on the run again. But now, with the Gunmen dead. "Mulder," she began, reaching for his hand, "they died, recently. They're buried in Arlington, a hero's funeral."

Mulder's spoon clattered against the bowl and plate and Scully raced to grab his hand. "I'm fine," he choked suddenly.

"Mulder. Mulder!" 

Scully squeezed his hand and quietly he looked at her and saw the pain etched into her face. Mulder squeezed her hand in affirmation. "I'm okay," his choked before clearing his throat half-heartedly. He freed his hand and tried to go back to his soup. "I still have you and William. After I couldn't get a hold of you, I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to come back to you, I was worried. I should have never left. I tried to keep a low profile but I got mugged in Atlantic City, hence, the bruised ribs. I honestly don't remember coming back except when the door opened and it was you. You were there."

Scully bowed her head. "You've missed a lot. My emails...weren't entirely accurate. William...William is special, Mulder."

"Of course he is," he replied. "He's our miracle."

"No. Yes." She closed her eyes painfully. It was now or never. "He moved his mobile, Mulder. Telepathically. He moved his mobile. I think. He was kidnapped by an alien cult. Agent Reyes helped me get him back. Mulder, I don't know what to do. I can't keep him safe! I've failed him and you! The only way to keep him safe is I need to give him up. Mulder, do you understand what I am saying?"

Mulder froze biting the grilled cheese. The words hit him all at once, like waves pounding the shore and he was drowning too. Of course, he had heard her. "What do you mean he is different, Scully?"

Genetic mutation? Experimentation? But William was conceived naturally. But then there was his parents, him and Scully. Alien abductions were a part of the genetics. Her abduction. Him reading minds because of an alien artifact. His own abduction. They were just different."He just is. I don't know how to explain it."

Her voice was eerily calm and it scared him.

"After all we've been through, Scully?" he asked softly, reaching for her hand. "You know what it is."

Scully had missed this. She missed how Mulder had grounded her and anchored her in moments like this. She knew it. She denied it. But it took him simply to say it to just affirm her confidence to believe it and verify her worst fears. "I can't keep him safe, Mulder."

"We can," he murmured, leaning forward. 

With his other hand, his reached around to pull her close. Scully closed her eyes, relishing his touch. Although his fingers were greasy from the grilled cheese, she relished the warmth of his touch as it ran up and down the back of her neck soothingly, always lingering over the scar of her chip.

"I'm home, Scully. We can keep him safe. I should have never left you or William. I made a mistake."

"You did what you thought was best, Mulder."

He shook his head. "No. I should have been here. For you. For William. But I'm here now, Scully. Don't take my son for me before I have a chance to know him. Please."

She pulled back violently as if he had burned her hand. What had caused her visceral reaction? "Scully?"

"I can't do this again. I have no other choice, Mulder. You have no idea what I have gone through trying to keep him safe, how much I have failed him."

Grunting, he flattened his arm against his side and broken ribs as he shifted closer to her, trying to take in her face. She buried her face in her hands unable to gaze at him. "I don't know what else to do, Mulder!" she hissed silently trying not to wake William. She looked at him and Mulder saw her defeated and all hope was gone. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"When was the last time you slept," he whispered. His hand trailed through her red hair and she unconsciously leaned into his touch. "Scully?"

She stared blankly at him and shook her head. "I can't remember," she whispered.

"Go to bed, get some sleep. We can try this conversation again."

"My mind is made up," she murmured uselessly. "He needs to be safe." Mulder was already pulling her up and guiding her back to the bedroom. "William. You'll wake me if he needs..."

"Yes," he lied.

Scully was exhausted and spent. Her mind was already lulling into letting her find comfort with Mulder's presence, his warm hands pulling back the blankets on the bed where he had previously laid. His scent surrounded her and the sheets were cool. Scully felt her body relax instantly. He tucked her in and she sighed. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you," she sighed.

"You've been strong enough," he said. "Rest." 

He bent over and kissed her tenderly as her eyes closed. She was asleep within minutes. Despite still being sore, Mulder had never felt more at peace in the month since he left. Those months on the run had been tough as he purposely kept a low profile, there had been a few close calls, nightmares of his abductions plagued him and kept him up at night. The only things that would keep the nightmares and fears away were dreaming about Scully and William. Now those fears threatening to spill over on what should be a happy homecoming as Mulder questioned the legitimacy of Scully giving their son up. Quietly, he got up and wandered into his son's bedroom to find the almost one-year-old smiling toothily at him as he sat up in the crib. As Mulder smiled and came closer, William instinctively held his arms upward, the universal sign to be picked up.

"Hey, there, buddy," Mulder whispered.

This is something he had dreamed: coming home to his son smiling at him, wanting to be held. Despite his broken ribs, he gently picked up William and the baby smiled, drool dripping down the corner of his small mouth. What amazed Mulder the most was how welcoming and trusting William was with him. His son was nothing but short of amazing. But holding his boy snuggling against his chest, finally kissing William's head as the baby cooed in approval, he felt the fears that had tightened around his heart disappear. Mulder closed his eyes, taking in the moment of the warm body snug in his embrace, his son somehow smelling like Scully and new baby smell brought a smile to his lips. 

"Let's go keep mommy company," he whispered.

. . . .

Scully was having a nightmare, a familiar one where William was taken from her, Mulder lay dead at her feet, and her cursed immortality left her alone for centuries because she could not die. It had been plaguing her more over the past weeks since the cult stole her son but nothing could stop it. She began to swim to consciousness when she heard Mulder's musical voice reciting quietly, "And they made him king of all the wild things." His voice went to a higher pitch. "'And now,' cried Max, 'let the wild rumpus start!'" A page turned and she heard Mulder making weird noised before the high pitch voice returned. "'Now stop,' Max said.'"

She could hear William giggling in response.

"Oh, you like that, William," he chuckled.

She opened her eyes and saw Mulder sitting the rocking chair in the corner of her room with William on his lap reading 'Where the Wild Things Are.' William rolled his head back and watched Mulder continue to read out loud. Then her heart broke because this sweet image she had dreamed for months was going to end. Mulder heard her sob. Looking up from the book, he saw her trying to hide the tears and the heartbreak. She was already trying to learn to live with the idea of giving up her son but this, this she couldn't handle anymore.

"Mulder," she said, "I can't do this anymore."

"Why not," he asked, shifting William. "If we're separated, we fail." 

She shook her head as Mulder carried himself and William to the bed on the other side. Scully was shaking her head, her emotions returning like a hurricane. William grunted something like 'ma' and reached for Scully. She took their son and then looked longingly at Mulder as he carefully encompassed her and their son in a hug. She closed her eyes and let a let another wave of emotion encompass her as the thought of putting William up for adoption vanished. Mulder was here, holding both of them, them as a family. 

"Okay," she whispered, running her hand through William's soft hair. She turned her head and kissed him hungrily. "Okay."

He smiled. "I'm glad I came home. You'd be lost without me. I know I've been lost without you." 

She smiled, nuzzling him. "We'd be lost without you."

Mulder smiled. "William's our miracle. Know what will be a true miracle? Raising him into a teenager with our stubbornness."

She smiled. "I've always imagined this."

"What?"

"Our happy ending."

"I'm home," he whispered, "and I'm not leaving."

William cooed happily as Scully hugged him close and thoughts of adaptation vanished from her mind to be replaced with a vision of the future as a family with her, Mulder, and William.

"But," he sighed. "We may need a bigger home."

Scully laughed and kissed him again as happiness melted in her bones. "We can start tomorrow."


End file.
